Not Just Another Corvette

Just how do these 5 specially built Corvette Grand Sports differ
from a production 1963-1967 midyear Corvette? Quite a lot, as the
following "part by part" comparison will show:

FIBERGLASS BODY:

While the overall shape of the Grand Sport fiberglass body may
look similar to the stock Corvette, when closely examined they are
actually very different.

The stock Corvette body is constructed from dozens of press molded
individual fiberglass panels that are bonded together. This type of
assembly results in "telltale details" or "characteristics"
that experts always look for when analyzing an original midyear production body:

Evidence of the bonding seam "printing thru the paint" along the belt line.

Bonding strips under the fenders.

A mat finish to the underneath of the fiberglass.

A uniform return lip on all of the fender edges.

A tan or gray gelcoat finish on unpainted parts.

None of these production characteristics exist on a Corvette Grand Sport body!
In an effort to save weight on the Grand Sport, Zora Duntov & his engineers came
up with a totally different fiberglass body construction, while still retaining the
general "look" of a production 1963 Corvette:

The Grand Sport body does not have any bonding seams or bonding strips.

However, when the engineers designed the Corvette Grand Sport, all of those heavy
steel & cast iron production components were put on a severe "diet".
In an effort to save weight most of these parts were made of aluminum, and include
the following items unique to the Corvette Grand Sport:

Body main structural "birdcage".

Door frames (coupes).

Door hinges.

Door latches.

Door strikers (coupe).

Interior door mechanisms (coupe).

Door handles (coupe).

Wiper grilles.

Wiper mechanism arms/linkage.

Wiper motor plates.

Interior garnish moldings.

Firewall brace (coupe).

Windshield lower garnish molding (roadster).

Fuel filler door (roadster).

Fuel filler cap (coupe).

Windshield washer bottle bracket.

Grille & side vent braces.

Instrument cluster gage housings.

Fresh air vent doors.

Fresh air control vent brackets.

Wheels (magnesium).

Knock off spinners.

Front brake calipers.

Front brake ducts.

Radiator core support.

Hood support mechanism.

Hood hinges.

Hood corner support brackets.

Inner fender panel braces.

Inner body braces

Interior mirror bracket.

Battery box (2nd generation)

Window frames (coupe).

Window channels (coupe).

Engine block (2nd generation).

Cylinder heads (2nd generation).

Cross-ram Weber intake manifold.

Weber carb adaptors (2nd & 3 rd generation).

Water pump (2nd generation).

Oil coolers (2nd generation).

Side exhaust insulation panels.

Steering box.

Differential housing.

STEEL COMPONENTS:

The designers of the stock Corvette had to achieve a balance
between cost effective mass production, performance and longevity.
This led to the use of many (relatively heavy) metal stampings,
die castings in the manufacture of the production Corvette.

The designers of the Corvette Grand Sport worked off a clean sheet
of paper for their design. Since the car was to be a limited
production, non-D.O.T. compliant vehicle, they could stretch their
creativity and focus their attention on the two closely related
goals: light weight & performance. Their mechanical creations
would function in the same spatial and geometric envelope as the
stock Corvette, but they would be comprised of special materials
& designs. The stock Corvette’s relatively heavy, mass produced
stamped steel/welded frame would be replaced with a mandrel bent,
thin wall steel tubing frame. Other more mundane stamped steel
production parts such as trailing arms, foot pedals, shifter arms, etc.,
were made lighter by drilling them with "lightening" holes.
The lighter the Grand Sport became, the lighter each individual
component could be designed.

Some of the steel components unique to the Corvette Grand Sport include: